Reclining article of furniture



June 28, 1949. A. LORENZ 2,474,265

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE v Filed Aug. 22, 1946 INVENTOR fl/vmvlaem z, Hum 14 FRMT Hrs ATTORNEY Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Anton Lorenz, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1946, Serial No. 692,224

Claims.

This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Serial #626,287, relating to a Reclining article of furniture, filed November 2, 1945.

This invention relates to articles of furniture, and more particularly to a reclining article of furniture, wherein the seat and the back-rest form movable links of a polygonal compound linkage swingably mounted on a, support, a portion of the latter forming the stationary link of said linkage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type, wherein the movable'members of the article of furniture are very well balanced, so that an occupant resting in the article of furniture may bring the movable members of the article of furniture from one position into another position without great effort.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type equipped with a leg-rest swingably mounted on the seat and controlled by a controlling mechanism. wherein the leg-rest may be swung through a relatively large angle during a movement of the movable members of the article of furniture from their sitting position into their extreme reclined position.

Still, another object of the invention is to improve upon reclining articles of furniture as now ordinarily made.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention,- consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodiments of the same being described in the specification and being illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention, a portion of a side frame of the support being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, It) generally indicates a support comprising the side frames l2 and I4. Said side frames are connected with each other by cross bars 16.

The rear portion of a seat I8 is pivoted to said support I0 at 20. On each side of the chair the front portion of said seat I8 is pivotally connected at 22 with. the lower portion of a front link 24. Said front link 24 is pivotally connected at 26 at a point above the pivotal connection 22 between the front link 24 and the seat It with the upper end portion of a connecting link 28,

v the lower end portion of which is pivoted to the support In at 30 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 20 between the seat [8 and the support Ill- Thus, the movable seat l8, the movable front link 24, the movable connecting link 28 and the stationary portion of the support l0 between the pivotal connection 39 of the connecting link 28 with said support and the pivotal connection 20 of the seat H! with said support form the links of a four-bar link-mechanism.

The lower end of a back-rest 32 is pivoted to the support [0 at 34 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 20 between the seat I8 and the support It. On each side of the chair, the

rear portion of a top link 36 is pivoted to an.

intermediate point 38 of the back-rest 32 above the pivotal connection 34 between the back-rest 32 and the support Ill. The front link 24 has an extension 40 projecting beyond its pivotal connection 26 with the connecting link 28. The front portion of the top link 36 is pivoted at 42 to said extension 40 of the front link 24 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 26 of said front link 24 with the connecting link 28.

Above described four-bar link-mechanism i8. 24, 28, 30-20 and the link-chain 32, 36 form in combinationwith each other a polygonal compound linkage. The links of said polygonal compound linkage may be readily arranged in such a manner and in such proportions, that the movable members of the chair are very well balanced, so that an occupant resting in the chair may bring the movable members of the chair from one position (for example the sitting position shown in full lines) into another position (for example the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines) without great effort. Furthermore, a leg-rest 44 is swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat [8 at 45. Said leg-rest 44 has an upward extension 48 pivotally connected at 50 with one endof a controlling link 52, the other end of which is pivoted at 54 with an extension 56 of the connecting link 28. Said controlling link 52 serves to control the swinging movements of the leg-rest 44 about its pivot 66 when the movable members of the chair are moved from one position, for example the sitting position shown in full lines, into another position, for example the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop 58 mounted on the support I I] for abutting engagement with the seat IS. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop 68 mounted on the support IQ for cooperation with the back-rest 32.

When the occupant of the chair leans the weight of his body against the back-rest 32, the latter will be swung from its upright position shown in full lines into a reclined position shown in dash and dot lines. At the same time, the seat I8 and the leg-rest 44 will be lifted into the dash and dot line position through the medium of above described linkage and controlling means.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position, for example in the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines or in any other intermediate reclined position, by means of a locking device generally indicated by 62 and arranged on the pivot 38 connecting the top link 36 with the back-rest 32. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said locking device 62 comprises a handle 64* screwed on the threaded end of the pivot 38. Said pivot 38 has a head 65 resting against the surface of the back-rest 32. A square portion 68 of the pivot 33 is inserted into a corresponding square aperture of the back-rest 32, whereby the pivot 38 is prevented from rotation. When the user of the chair loosens the looking handle 54, the surface of the hub II? of said handle is disengaged from the surface of the top link 35, so that the movable members of the chair may be freely moved from one position into another one. When the locking handle 54 is tightened, the surface of the hub of the handle is pressed against the top link 36, whereby the latter is pressed against the back-rest 32 engaged with the head 65 of the pivot 38, so that the members of the chair are held in their position. Of course, any other type of locking device may be used instead of said locking device 62, if desired.

According to the embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. 3, again the seat I I3 pivoted to the support II ii at I 20. the front link I24 pivoted to the seat H8 at I22, the connecting link I28 pivoted to the front link I24 at I25 and pivoted to the support H at I32 as well as the stationary portion of the support II b between the pivots I30 and I20 form the links of a four-bar link-mechanism. Furthermore, again the lower end of the back-rest 132 is pivoted to the support I I!) at I34 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection I20 between the seat H3 and the support III]. Furthemore, the rear portion of the top link I 36 is pivoted to an intermediate point of the back-rest I32 at i38. According to Fig. 3, however, the front portion of said top link H6 is pivoted at H2 to an intermediate point of the front link I24 between the pivotal connection I22 of the front link I24 with the seat I I8 and the pivotal connection i26 of the front link I24 with the connecting link I28.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in full lines is limited by the stop I58 on which the seat II8 comes to a rest. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop !60 cooperating with the back-rest I32. When the back-rest I32 is swung from its upright position into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, the seat H8 is lifted into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines through the mediiun of above described linkage.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position by means of the locking device I62 arranged on the pivot I38.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those, herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example one or more of the links of the linkage of the chairs may be in the shape of a bent link instead of a straight link as shown in the drawings.

Furthemore, one or more of the links of the linkage of the chairs may be made of adjustable lengths so as to vary the relative positions and movements of the members of the chair.

Furthermore, the invention may be applied to other articles of furniture than the type of chairs shown in the drawings, for example to desk chairs, garden chairs, chairs for use in railroad cars, chairs for use in airplanes, loungets, etc.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support, a front link, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said front link at a point above the pivotal connection between the front link and the seat, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, said seat, said front link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, and a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and the front portion of said top link being pivoted to a point of the front link spaced from its pivotal connection with the connecting link.

2. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support, a front link, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said front link at a point above the pivotal connection between the front link and the seat, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, said seat, said front link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said backrest being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, the front portion of said top link being pivoted to a point of the front link spaced from its pivotal connection with the connecting link, and locking means between two adjacent relatively movable members of the article for locking the movable members thereof in a predetermined position, at least one of said adjacent relatively movable members being a member of the link-system.

3. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support, a front link, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said front link at a point above the pivotal connection between the front link and the seat, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, said seat, said front link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, said front link having an extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the connecting link, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, and a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and the front portion of said top link being pivoted to said extension of the front link.

4. A reclinin article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support, a front link, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said front link at a point above the pivotal connection between the front link and the seat, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, said seat, said front link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said backrest being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, and a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and the front portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of the front link between the pivotal connections of the latter with the connecting link and the seat.

5. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support, a front link, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said front link at a point above the pivotal connection between the front link and the seat, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, said seat, said front link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said backrest being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, the front portion of said top link being pivoted to a point of the front link spaced from its pivotal connection with the connecting link, a leg-rest swingably mounted on the front portion of said seat, and controlling means in operative connection with a member of the article for controlling the movements of the leg-rest, said member bein exclusive of the seat.

ANTON LORENZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

